After Sarah’s death and Isaac’s marriage, the Scriptures tell us that Abraham “took another wife, whose name was Keturah.” (Genesis 25:1) Incredibly, she bore him six more sons! The biblical account tells us that Abraham left everything to his son Isaac, but that he provided for his other sons by giving them gifts—after which he sent them far away from Isaac. Abraham did not want anyone intruding on God’s covenant with him and the heir to the promise, Isaac.
Finally, at age 175 Abraham died and was buried with Sarah. “Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.” (Genesis 25:8) Moses’ eulogy is rather sparse, but the New Testament writers refer to Abraham and his example over and over again. The poignant reference that he was “gathered to his people” indicates to me that he had reached the “city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”
How thankful I am for the account of Abraham’s life! His failures have been laid bare, but so has his heart—a heart that wanted to know and love God intimately. Abraham’s biography also reveals God’s character to me, and shows the depth of God’s desire to relate to me, as Friend to friend and Father to child.
And so the eulogy we find in Hebrews gives us a model for ourselves. “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents…. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren, was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. … By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’ Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death…. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 11: 8-12; 17-19; 12:1-2)
God grant that I will be like Abraham: ready to obey, ready to believe even the impossible, focused on a more permanent prize than material gain, with my eyes fixed on Jesus, my Redeemer and Friend.
2 comments:
Weird and eerie and just-right timing for this post, don't you think? Love you.
I finally got to read the rest of your Abraham "book" last night. But I wanted to read it here online! I love it!!
You have done a great job painting an accurate and compelling picture of a very human faith-hero on a broad Old-and-New-Testament canvas. You have also shown me a life I thought I was familiar with in a new way, making Abraham come alive through your very personal and convicting interaction and reflection. Believe it or not, I feel I have gotten to know (and love) you better through this as well. Thank you!
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